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Saturday, June 15, 2013

The Cheapskate Files: You CAN Fix Ugly

Hey everybody! Today I have another frugal episode of the Cheapskate Files, my own humble way of making you feel better about spending way too much money on your out-of-control habit. :) Sometimes when you see a good bargain, you know it's an amazing find. But other times, you realize pretty quickly why a particular polish was on the clearance shelf in the first place. Today's post is both! On one of my recent Ulta clearance shelf treasure hunts, I spotted OPI Where's My Bikini Top?, a rather peculiar-looking, grayish-green pastel creme, for the low, low price of $1.99.

OPI Where's My Bikini Top?

Where's My Bikini Top? is actually a renamed Stranger Tides, from the 2011 Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides Collection. Perhaps in its original incarnation, this was possibly a bit better...but now, with a silly new name and no charming Capt. Jack Sparrow association, this baby is HIDEOUS.

OPI Where's My Bikini Top?

I'm not talking about the color...it's a little dirty-looking, but it's a nice antique fern green. But the formula is the issue here. Just look at that bottle...the polish was permanently separating and runny as anything. I even tried Seche Restore, which could fix 152 year old paint, and nothing helped. It was streaky and the wateriest mess I ever used. My official scientific term is blech.Now enter the AWESOME clearance find:

Essie Luxeffects Pure Pearlfection!! I have to say that I have no idea why in the world this was on clearance...this stuff is wonderful! Described by Essie as a "multi dimension top coat", it gives your blech polish a whole new lease on life with its effortless pearly glaze.

Oh my. That's so much better.

One coat of Pure Pearlfection, and the streaks are gone. It applies evenly and smoothly and is quite honestly the best Essie product I own.

Pearls + Blech = Gorgeous!

I cannot recommend Pure Pearlfection enough. If this stuff doesn't fix your ugliest polish, nothing will. I've even convinced Where's My Bikini Top? to back away from the ledge and enjoy life for once.

I just noticed I have 3 paper cuts on this hand.

I love a happy ending like this one! And a CHEAP happy ending is always better! :)Thanks for stopping by, and have a lovely day!

This does make it look a whole lot nicer! And $2 for OPI is pretty good! I would love to try something like this with my awful polishes too, but I will subsitute Essie's Pure Pearlfection with a sheer mulitchrome :)

Hi Melissa - what a gorgeous post!!! Thank you so much for sharing this hilarious experience with us!!! I so hear you, some of these Sale items simply deserve to sit on that rack and then there are those gems hiding out there ;-)!!! Who knows? Maybe Essie plans a new range of effect Top Coats? Anyhow I thought that series vanished from planet nailpolish already as I was under the impression it was LE??? And your mani looks absolutely edgy and cool and sophisticated!!!

Errrggghh! I'm SO annoyed - not at your post, but the fact that I posted a fairly long comment on this post - or so I thought! Apparently my wireless internet was not actually connected, so it must've only appeared to have posted. Grrrrr. Also "grr" worthy is a polish like this which although IS in fact a color I like too, has a formula that could drive any polish addict to drink! I hate trying to pain with a crappy formula, especially considering how careful I/we try to be, in order to minimize that darn cleanup. BUT you persevered!!! AND made it even better with your lovely pairing! It's like the right cheese with a good wine! hahaSpeaking of humor, Lord Almighty, you crack me up SOOO much! "I've even convinced Where's My Bikini Top? to back away from the ledge and enjoy life for once." :D Yes, you certainly did!

You know something? I got that original comment on my email!! But then I came to reply to it, and it was gone, so I thought you might have taken it off! Yes, this polish...what a pickle. And not just because it's green. Thanks for your kind comments about my cracking you up. I love making funny people laugh...they know what's funny, so if they think I'm funny, that's a doubly funny honor! :P Whew.

Okay, YES to Pure Pearlfection making darned near anything better. What is up with this name, though? It looks like nekkid Squidwort and shouldn't have naything to do with any sorto f reference to topless sunbathing... or whatever... Uhh, seriously, though, it looks AMAZING with Pre Pearlfection over it. WHY don't I have that topper by now?! Every photo of it I see makes me want it.